Frenzoo. Games with Style.

Connie Sec on Second Life, Blue Mars, virtual photography and more

Connie Sec

Over at the VRFashion Blog there is an in-depth interview with virtual fashion photographer Connie Sec, well known in the Second Life community for her expressive shots and attention to detail.

In the article she shares interesting thoughts on Viewer 2, takes us through her 3d photo-shoot process and gives her opinion on Second Life and Blue Mars.

She also gives her thought on emergence of in-browser 3d worlds of which Frenzoo is an example ("Browser based virtual worlds can be a good starting point for those new to Virtual Worlds"), as well as her opinion on whether Facebook games are competing with virtual worlds.

Head over and take a read...

Lose yourself in a Wonderland...

How can you not, with this delightfully soft and sublime piece of art...

Discovered on the monoartiztic blog

ps - in the theme, there is also a new "inspired by Tim Burton" contest (just started, 12 days to enter)

Therian creator interviews in latest Frenzoo mag

In this months edition of Frenzy, the user mag of the 3d world Frenzoo.com, there is a tribute to There.com. In it is a nice interview with Dalraida and Ayla, two Thereians creators who have setup shop on Frenzoo.

You can read the article below, or on page 20 of the embedded magazine here (click to read)

A tribute to There.com

March was a sad month in the virtual worlds space, with the lights going out at There.com. 

For those who hadn't heard of it, There was one of the pioneering 3d worlds, a family friendly environment that launched in 2003.   With a large development team and millions in funding, There had many groundbreaking features - vehicle physics, trading economy and, of course, the iconic hoverboard.

Those things aside, what was really special was its community.  Sure, sometimes there was drama. Still, relative to other worlds There stood out as a positive and fun place --through all the twists and turns of the company the heart of that community kept on beating. The bonds made between many "Thereians" may have been virtual but they were real.

I asked two ex There.com friends and new Frenzoo creators, Dalriada and Ayla_1 to share about their experiences about There and moving onto Frenzoo:

Happy times - Dalriada and Ayla in There.com

Tell us about yourself and how you got to be involved in There.

Dalriada: My name is Dalriada, named after an ancient Scottish kingdom. I came to There in February 2004 after another game called Uru Live closed. In Uru we had the Guild of Greeters and at early start we raised a group called the Guild of Free Greeters. I took over that group after a few years and lead it till the end.

Ayla_1: In real life I'm 33, married and have two little boys. I love creating things! It wasn't until I met Dalriada on There.com that I actually began designing. We got to talking and I bombarded her with questions about designing, and I quickly became addicted! I was looking for a virtual game because, some friends of mine from yoville found a new game to play that my laptop would not support. I found There and just loved it and all the friends I made.

What was the community like and what did you enjoy most about that world?

Dalriada:  I made a lot of friends in There which will be very missed, but I can still see them in other worlds. I had a funzone and a shop in There and I had some fun events in them too. The part I will miss most is that I can no longer log in and just see who is on line and hang out with them.

Ayla_1: I loved just meeting people. Friends of all ages and personalities. I really met a lot of wonderful people. I loved the Therian Gong Shows. Kind of like a There Idol. People would all come and take turns singing or playing piano or whatever their talent was. At the end we would all vote on them.  There are so many memories and it was so hard saying goodbye.

You both were creators on There. What did you create?

Dalriada:I made clothes at first. Mostly the ones I wanted to wear myself, then men´s clothes and after a while just anything I liked. I also started to get a lot of requests for custom outfits, which was fun because it made me make clothes that I would normally not make. In time I would make furniture, vehicles and texture every model I could get my hands on.

Ayla_1: I made clothing. I LOVED it. And I was going through some serious withdrawals before I came here. I also made a lot of custom designs for people and enjoyed the challenge they would give me of creating something specific that they wanted.

So how's it so far in Frenzoo? What have you been up to?

Dalriada: Luckily some of my friends are on Frenzoo too. I have noticed this is a very friendly community and I am feeling very welcome. I have been busy designing so far. It´s very nice to do so in here. The forums are nice to read and I like the contest ideas. I am thinking of trying to enter one.

New beginnings - Dalriada and Ayla in Frenzoo

Ayla_1: I love being able to design again. I really missed it the short time between the news of There closing and coming here to Frenzoo. I have spoken to a few people and I will say, if you have ever requested a chat with me and I don't answer, please do not be insulted. I am probably working on a new design.

What's your impressions, and any requests for the Frenzoo team?

Dalriada: The Frenzoo site is looking good, especially when you keep in mind it´s running only since January of this year. I am sure there will be lots of improvements soon. I look forward to group chats. Maybe a bit more to do for people that don´t design would be nice, although I am not sure what that should be. I am not bored at all!

Ayla_1: So far, I love everything. The avatars are cute and I love making clothes to dress mine 

If you could live in ANY virtual home at all, what would it be?

Dalriada: I don´t think I would ever want to live in a virtual world. I´d rather be the one at the keyboard. Maybe that´s the person inside me that likes to be in control.

Ayla_1: Probably one similar to my very first There home. I miss it and kind of regretted selling it a while back. It was a large stone chateau with turrets on the sides.

Any advice or messages for fellow Thereians?

Dalriada: If any of you Thereians want to add me please do and of course Frenzoo´s too! (haha what do you call yourself?) I will be showing offline a lot because I want to design, but you can always email me or write on my wall. Hope to meet you all soon.

Ayla_1: Just keep trying different games. Nothing will ever replace There.com but something else will still be fun and who knows, you may wind up loving it too eventually as much as you loved There. I know it is hard seeing all your friends split up and go to different games but there are tons of people to meet anywhere you go.

Thank you!  To visit them: http://frenzoo.com/Dalriada and http://www.frenzoo.com/Ayla_1

Koinup partners with Frenzoo.com, the world of 3D chat & creation in your browser

Milan, March 17, 2010 - Today, Koinup  and Frenzoo.com launch their collaboration, with Frenzoo support in Koinup as well as auto snapshot uploading to Koinup from Frenzoo.  3d avatar lovers can explore a creative online world from in their web browser, then share their experience their Koinup account.  The partnership also includes joint events and competitions hosted on both sites.

Koinup Member Kez commented: "I create and chat a lot on Frenzoo. So this new snapshot system is a great idea! It's really convenient"

Frenzoo art by Kez, see more at koinup.com/kez

On Koinup, users can share their avatar life through art and content from leading online worlds games including Second Life and The Sims. Frenzoo is an in-browser 3D world that allows members to socialize and create 3D content with user-friendly tools. Whether using a Macbook at home or Windows desktop at work, members can escape to the virtual world in seconds, without running a separate client.

Koinup CEO, PierLuigi Casolari commented - "Frenzoo is a fun and fast developing world with easy-to-use features. We are proud to have these two creative communities meet."  According to Frenzoo CEO and Co-Founder Simon Newstead, "Koinup has some of the most beautiful virtual art I've seen, from talented folks from around the world. It's an honor to be included on the platform."

To use this new feature:
1/ Set your upload email in your Koinup account
2/ Paste that in your Frenzoo account settings page

Any new snapshots taken are then autoshared to Koinup.  View snapshots here

About Koinup
Koinup (http://www.koinup.com) is a social network for all residents of all virtual worlds. In Koinup you can create your profile and publish pics, videos (machinima) and artworks that you created in virtual worlds as Second Life, World of Warcraft, IMVU, Frenzoo and also games as The Sims 2 and many others. In Koinup you can meet people from yours and other virtual worlds and you can express yourself in the way you love. Koinup is a startup supported by the startup accelerator Working Capital (Telecom Italia) and it's included in the Developer Program of Top-IX, Torino Piemonte Internet Exchange

About Frenzoo
In development since 2008, Frenzoo Ltd. (www.frenzoo.com), is the first browser-based 3d world with user generated content.  The destination allows users to create an avatar, meet people and virtual chat in animated 3d scenes, express their style and create fashion and content all in their Internet browser. Mod sims and 3d asset import from packages such as 3D Max and Blender are also supported.  The Frenzoo team is based in Hong Kong, and has been developed with seed investment from Ambient Sound Investments, established in 2003 as an equal partnership by four founding engineers at Skype Technologies.  Frenzoo has a partnership with leading virtual content producer Anshe Chung Studios (ACS).  Frenzoo leverages the power of the Unity 3d engine, used by leading entertainment companies such as Electronic Arts.  The lightweight plugin installs in seconds without any browser reloads, and enables rich 3D graphics rendered in hardware.

Press Contacts
Pier Luigi, CEO
Email: editor@koinup.com

Simon Newstead, Co-Founder & CEO
Email: simon@frenzoo.com
Skype: simon-hk

Finally, Frenzoo's 3d chat goes "HD"

If you've tried the recently launched "in-page" 3d chat on Frenzoo.com, you may have noticed it has a fixed size 3d window. 

A fixed size for 3d window is lame, we admit.  Well no more, the chat in Frenzoo now expands to make fill use of your available browser space, automatically.

For example, I'm on a Macbook Pro with 1440x900 resolution.  Here's the before and after pic:

We also slimmed down the text part as you can see.  I did a quick calculation and in my case ended up with a 116% increase in 3d area. Bottom line, a much more immersive experience.

Side note - this also fixes problems with people are on lower resolutions or using netbooks or widescreen notebooks where the vertical size wasn't enough to support the previous fixed size.

ps - Geek appendix: in planning out this feature, we took a snapshot of our current user base screen resolutions.  Interesting to see the growth in the last year in increased horizontal resolutions, corresponding with more widescreen monitor and notebook configurations: 

Scarlett Niven Picks the Best of the Best

Scarlett Niven had the difficult task of picking the best of the best in this month's VIP Challenge. A Second Life blogger, she knows the ins and outs of cross world fashions. Who better to guest judge a VIP contest?

This month's contest challenged VIPs to create an ad for mature make-up, skins, and fashion items. Each entry received helpful feedback from Scarlett.

The stakes were high: a chance to be featured in a machinima short on Scarlett's blog, as well as an extra 200 coins to play with. 

With fame and fortune in their sights, VIPs entered many mature looks. 

The best of the best?

First place winner Misselle's entry emphasized realism and detail. 

In second place, xoxskittlesxox's was edgy and bold. 

Lo_specchio nabbed third place with a focus on detail.

 

 

Congratulations on the well-deserved winnings!

Thanks to all who entered!

A big thank you to Scarlett for judging and providing feedback. Keep an eye on her blog for the short machinima feature and interview with Misselle. 

 
   

Convert ThereBucks into Frenzoo.com Coins at rate 10:1 (and keep your TBux)

A message to all users of There.com,

Convert ThereBucks into Frenzoo Silver Coins at the rate 10:1 (and you keep your TBux)

There.com closing is a real bummer, and we'd like to do our very best to welcome you into our new online world at Frenzoo.com

Silver coins can be used to buy any item in the shop, from new homes with land, furniture, clothes, animations and more.

New member Winged from There.com in Frenzoo

What is Frenzoo?
- fun, friendly online world of 3d chat and creation
- suitable for all ages, from 13 up
- it runs in any browser, both PC and Mac, no big program to install
- easy to use and get started
- you can create your own items, easily

What's different from There.com?
- your avatar can have multiple 1 on 1 chats at the same time, in different scenes
- multi-avatar chat and scenes will be coming next month
- you can create your own items, using free coins
- you move by pointing and clicking on avatar spots.  you can add as many avatar spots in different locations in your scene as you want

Offer ends March 31st 2010, for those who register this month.

To get your coins, email contact@frenzoo.com with:

- Your username on There.com and on Frenzoo
- Screenshot of your ThereBucks amount

We'll credit your coins within 24 hours.  Thanks and enjoy having fun at Frenzoo.

PS - you will also have a special offer where you will get double the free starting coins and also an extra free T-shirt when you join.  Head over to Frenzoo.com to get started.

PPS - if you are a creator on There.com, there is also a special offer to get free lifetime VIP status

Free lifetime VIP for There.com creators

To all creators on There.com,

Free lifetime VIP offer for all creators on There.com

We were saddened to hear the news.  It's never great when a world which you have spent time and effort investing in closes down, especially when it's a place with lots of your friends.  There.com was a fun and friendly place, and ahead of its time when it launched.

We at Frenzoo.com would like to give you a special invitation to start anew.

If you don't know, Frenzoo.com is a young and growing 3d world:

- it runs in any browser, both PC and Mac, no big program to install
- easy to use and get started
- create items using either inbuilt creation or uploading, no approval process
- upload textures, or your own 3d meshes and animations (max, blender etc)
- fun, friendly environment suitable for all ages
- creative and supportive attitude to and among creators

What's different from There.com?
- your avatar can have multiple 1 on 1 chats at the same time, in different scenes
- multi-avatar chat and scenes will be coming next month
- you can create your own items, using free coins
- you move by pointing and clicking on avatar spots.  you can add as many avatar spots in different locations in your scene as you want

Special offer for There.com creators, offer ends 31st March 2010:

- Free lifetime VIP and Pro status for all There.com creators
- Convert all your ThereBucks into equivalent Frenzoo silver coins

To claim your free special offer, email contact@frenzoo.com with:

- Your username on There.com
- Some pictures of items you have made in the last 12 months
- Screenshot of your ThereBucks amount (if you want to convert them to silver coins)
- Whether you are a texturer only, or also do 3d animation or meshing

We'll reply setup your free lifetime VIP and Pro status within 24 hours.

Thanks and look forward to seeing your creativity in Frenzoo.

PS - if you are a There.com user but not a creator, we have a special offer where you will get double the free coins and also an extra free T-shirt when you join.  Head over to Frenzoo.com to get started.